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Christmas in the City

  • TV Movie
  • 2013
  • TV-PG
  • 1h 27m
IMDb RATING
5.7/10
1.7K
YOUR RATING
Ashanti in Christmas in the City (2013)
ComedyDramaFamilyRomance

With the threat of having to close her father's candy store, Wendy and her 5-year-old daughter travel to the big city in the hope of making enough money to save it.With the threat of having to close her father's candy store, Wendy and her 5-year-old daughter travel to the big city in the hope of making enough money to save it.With the threat of having to close her father's candy store, Wendy and her 5-year-old daughter travel to the big city in the hope of making enough money to save it.

  • Director
    • Marita Grabiak
  • Writer
    • Barbara Kymlicka
  • Stars
    • Ashley Williams
    • Ashanti
    • Jon Prescott
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.7/10
    1.7K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Marita Grabiak
    • Writer
      • Barbara Kymlicka
    • Stars
      • Ashley Williams
      • Ashanti
      • Jon Prescott
    • 33User reviews
    • 5Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos23

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    Top cast25

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    Ashley Williams
    Ashley Williams
    • Wendy Carroll
    Ashanti
    Ashanti
    • Teanna Musk
    Jon Prescott
    Jon Prescott
    • Tom Wolman
    Shanola Hampton
    Shanola Hampton
    • Angie
    Kylie Noelle Price
    Kylie Noelle Price
    • Grace Carroll
    • (as a different name)
    David Ralphe
    • Harry Wolman
    Beverly Leech
    Beverly Leech
    • Meg Carroll
    Josh Crotty
    Josh Crotty
    • Bruno
    Michael Durrell
    Michael Durrell
    • Santa
    Stewart Scott
    Stewart Scott
    • Ken Moore
    Duncan Joiner
    Duncan Joiner
    • William
    Fred Mancuso
    Fred Mancuso
    • Mr. Henderson
    Joel Rush
    Joel Rush
    • Hunky Santa #1
    Andy Ashton
    • Hunky Santa #2
    Michael Potter
    Michael Potter
    • Bank Manager
    Troy Lupien
    • Child #2
    Marc Abbink
    • Theater Patron
    • (uncredited)
    Abimael Acosta
    Abimael Acosta
    • Realtor
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Marita Grabiak
    • Writer
      • Barbara Kymlicka
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews33

    5.71.7K
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    Featured reviews

    10cherycole

    Love / Hate

    Someone else here said you will love this or hate this and I tend to agree with that statement. "Christmas in the City" is not meant to be groundbreaking art. What it is meant to do is to entertain an audience and it does. Maybe a little more effort could have been made in ways of the screenplay and that the final reveal of the department store with its Christmas display could of used a bigger wow factor would of helped the overall experience.

    This film is all about love. Love you have with your family traditions and fearing of losing them. Not a perfect film but it is made with joy and the lead has a smile that becomes a star in its own right. I saw this on NETFLIX streaming.

    Available now
    10stanheckjr

    Not for everyone

    This film is cute. In this film Wendy Carroll is a young mother. Wendy is stuck between a rock and a hard place. Its "Great Recession" time and her family business is failing. She refuses to watch it die. Her father started the business and has passed on. She along with her mother are trying to keep it afloat. With foreclosure looming she decides to take a chance.

    So Wendy & her daughter move to the city. Wendy moves in with her long time friend Angie. Angie then helps Wendy get a job a job at a department store.

    Unknown to Angie the store is in trouble as well. The stores board of directors have brought in Teanna. Teeanna is a win at all cost person. She however goes on warpath against Wendy when she sees that Tom (The Stores Owner) is falling for Wendy. Teeanna not only wants to be with Tom but she also trying to take over the store.

    Now this is a film for the family but "Men will hate this". Most teen's will hate this.

    The film is for people that like Christmas movies. If you are a person who loves "Family Traditions" then this movie is for you
    10Christmas-Reviewer

    It Wears its Heart on its sleeve

    BEWARE OF BOGUS REVIEWS. SOME REVIEWERS HAVE ONLY REVIEW ONE FILM. WHEN ITS A POSITIVE REVIEW THAT TELLS ME THEY WERE INVOLVED WITH THE PRODUCTION. IF ITS A NEGATIVE REVIEW THEN THEY MIGHT HAVE A GRUDGE AGAINST THAT PRODUCTION. NOW I HAVE REVIEWED OVER 200 Christmas MOVIES. I HAVE NO AGENDA. I AM FARE ABOUT THESE FILMS.

    In this film a family owned business is about to go under! So Wendy and her six-year- old daughter Grace move to the big city where an old friend gets her a job in the toy department of Wolmans Department Store . Wendy hopes to make enough money to save her family business. The film is far from perfect but so what. It is enjoyable. It also wears a huge heart on its sleeve. I love the fact the film proudly displays affections people have for traditions and family. Ashley Williams plays Wendy and she plays the part perfectly. Wendy is the type of person you would want in your life. BE it "Friend, Girlfriend, Wife, etc.

    Boys of all ages will hate it. So kick them out of the room and snuggle up with the person you love and enjoy the show. Its well worth your time.

    Available on Amazon for streaming. This made for Lifetime movie will most likely get repeated during the holiday season. Catch it when it airs! I can't wait to see it again
    8samaanderson

    Nice & Sweet

    This film is most likely going to be hated by men all all ages. This is because this film deals with "romance" and for once "Men are subjected to being sex objects". (That only is subliminal)

    What this story is about is saving "Your Own Since of History". In this film Wendy is a single mother. SHe has a young child. SHe works with her mom and the family candy store but it has fallen on hard times. Wendy decides to move to "The City" and get a job that will help her save her family business.

    She takes a job a department store which also happens to be failing on hard times. A new sales manage has been brought in and is turning a "Once Family Owned Department Store" from a great place to shop and work at to a nasty work environment where everything comes at a cost including "Love" When the sales manages sees Wendy and the stores owner Tom are slowly falling "In Love" with each other she sets out to destroy Wendy anyway she can.

    Other people have pointed out that the final reveal of the store and its big holiday Christmas display need was "Not Much" and needed to be bigger. However in "Spirit" it is huge. The display was put up not because these people were getting paid but because "The Love of Christmas"

    If you get the chance watch it. Females 14 on up will enjoy this the most. Small children will be bored. However this nice little movie is well though out and is a sweet as a "Christmas Cookie"
    10brianclarkdallas

    The Final Act needed work

    Television films are by the number. This is a "GREAT EXAMPLE" of a that. This doesn't mean this is a bad movie its just nothing special.

    In this movie a young woman (Wendy) leaves her small town with her daughter to earn money to save her fathers business. She gets a job a department store and she falls in love with the stores owner.

    Things get messy when another woman (Teanna) sees Wendy a threat. The actress Ashley Williams smiles in every scene. I fully understand why she took that approach. The reality is that "Wendy" is a nice woman. She is kind and supports her friends. Teanna however never smiles and she is only out for herself.

    The climax of the film however needed more work. There is a scene where they "Make-over" the store. I think the whole film would have worked better if they showed more decorations and customers reaction to them. What we get is "Okay" and gets the point across but the film needed a bigger "WOW" then what was presented. Don't get me wrong the scene still works but it should have been better!

    Family safe but don't expect too much. It is worth watching!

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    Related interests

    Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Drew Barrymore and Pat Welsh in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
    Family
    Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca (1942)
    Romance

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Jon Prescott (Tom) is an accomplished musician and singer. It was really him playing the piano and singing in the store after closing.
    • Goofs
      Teanna states several times that she was hired "to raise sales". The sales figures would not be effected by the elimination of the day care or the staff bonuses.
    • Quotes

      Teanna Musk: Have no fear, Teanna's here.

    • Connections
      Features Holiday High School Reunion (2012)
    • Soundtracks
      It's Christmas
      Performed and Written by Ashanti

      Produced by Marvin Floyd

      Courtesy of Written Entertainment, Pookietoots LLC, Universal Music Publishing (ASCAP), Nivram Productions (BMI)

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 7, 2013 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Canada
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Navidad en la ciudad
    • Filming locations
      • Promenade Mall - 6100 Topanga Canyon Road, Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Johnson Production Group
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $2,000,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 27m(87 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.78 : 1

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